Those processors will ultimately find their way into Windows 8 hybrids. "There's a whole new wave of convertible designs coming, where you can get the best of a tablet and the best of a notebook in one device," said Kirk Skaugen, Intel's new PC business chief, in a press conference that was streamed live this morning.

Skaugen continued. "When you see them, they're going to be stunning. You can be typing in clamshell mode, and then open it and have full touch capability of a tablet," he said.

Ultrabook prices as low as $699 are also expected later this year, Skaugen said. "In China, there are already $533 ultrabooks from local guys," he said.

He cautioned however that he doesn't want to see quality suffer. "We're not in a race to the bottom with price points; $699 by the end of the year is a rational price point [but ultrabooks will] not suffer from any lesser quality," he said.

About the author

Brooke Crothers writes about mobile computer systems, including laptops, tablets, smartphones: how they define the computing experience and the hardware that makes them tick. He has served as an editor at large at CNET News and a contributing reporter to The New York Times' Bits and Technology sections. His interest in things small began when living in Tokyo in a very small apartment for a very long time.
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